SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2012		Aug. 31, 2011
Reconciliation of Total Operating Segment Margin to Income Before Provision for Income Taxes [Abstract]
Total margin for operating segments	$ 5,185	[1]	$ 5,055	[1]
New software licenses and cloud software subscriptions revenues	(19)	[2]
Software license updates and product support revenues	(5)	[2]	(13)	[2]
Hardware systems support revenues	(4)	[2]	(11)	[2]
Product develoopment and information technology expenses	(1,231)		(1,076)
Marketing and partner program expenses	(128)		(132)
Corporate and general and administrative expenses	(226)		(268)
Amortization of intangible assets	(619)		(592)
Acquisition related and other	258		(19)
Restructuring	(145)		(101)
Stock-based compensation	(176)		(147)
Interest expense	(188)		(192)
Other, net			(33)
Income before provision for income taxes	2,702		2,471
Reconciliation of Total Operating Segment Revenues to Total Revenues [Abstract]
Total revenues for operating segments	8,209	[3]	8,398	[3]
New software licenses and cloud software subscriptions revenues	(19)	[2]
Software license updates and product support revenues	(5)	[2]	(13)	[2]
Hardware systems support revenues	(4)	[2]	(11)	[2]
Total revenues	8,181		8,374
Revenues Included for Management Reporting Not Recognized in Consolidated Statements of Operations (Narrative) [Abstract]
New software licenses and cloud software subscriptions revenues	19	[2]
Software license updates and product support revenues	5	[2]	13	[2]
Hardware systems support revenues	4	[2]	11	[2]
New software licenses and cloud software subscriptions [Abstract]
Revenues	1,589	[3]	1,493	[3]
Sales and distribution expenses	1,078		1,144
Margin	511	[1]	349	[1]
Software license updates and product support [Abstract]
Revenues	4,145	[3]	4,035	[3]
Software license updates and product support expenses	269		274
Margin	3,876	[1]	3,761	[1]
Total software business [Abstract]
Revenues	5,734	[3]	5,528	[3]
Expenses	1,347		1,418
Margin	4,387	[1]	4,110	[1]
Hardware systems products [Abstract]
Revenues	779		1,029
Hardware systems products expenses	384		473
Sales and distribution expenses	218		266
Margin	177	[1]	290	[1]
Hardware systems support [Abstract]
Revenues	578	[3]	656	[3]
Hardware systems support expenses	213		272
Margin	365	[1]	384	[1]
Total hardware systems business [Abstract]
Revenues	1,357	[3]	1,685	[3]
Expenses	815		1,011
Margin	542	[1]	674	[1]
Total services business [Abstract]
Revenues	1,118	[3]	1,185	[3]
Services expenses	862		914
Margin	256	[1]	271	[1]
Totals [Abstract]
Revenues	8,209	[3]	8,398	[3]
Expenses	3,024		3,343
Margin	$ 5,185	[1]	$ 5,055	[1]

[1] The margins reported reflect only the direct controllable costs of each line of business and do not include allocations of product development, information technology, marketing and partner programs and corporate and general and administrative expenses. Additionally, the margins do not reflect amortization of intangible assets, acquisition related and other expenses, restructuring expenses, stock-based compensation, interest expense or certain other expenses, net.

[2] New software licenses and cloud software subscriptions revenues for management reporting included revenues related to cloud software subscriptions contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses as independent entities but were not recognized in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations in the amount of $19 million for the three months ended August 31, 2012. Software license updates and product support revenues for management reporting included revenues related to software support contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses as independent entities but were not recognized in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations in the amounts of $5 million and $13 million for the three months ended August 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. In addition, we did not recognize hardware systems support revenues related to hardware systems support contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses as independent entities in the amounts of $4 million and $11 million for the three months ended August 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

[3] Operating segment revenues generally differ from the external reporting classifications due to certain software license products that are classified as service revenues for management reporting purposes. New software licenses and cloud software subscriptions revenues for management reporting included revenues related to cloud software subscriptions contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses as independent entities but were not recognized in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations in the amount of $19 million for the three months ended August 31, 2012. Software license updates and product support revenues for management reporting included revenues related to software support contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses as independent entities but were not recognized in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations in the amounts of $5 million and $13 million for the three months ended August 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. In addition, we did not recognize hardware systems support revenues related to hardware systems support contracts that would have otherwise been recorded by the acquired businesses as independent entities in the amounts of $4 million and $11 million for the three months ended August 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. See Note 8 for an explanation of these adjustments and the table below for a reconciliation of our total operating segment revenues to our total revenues.